Distribution:Global: Indo-Burma. National: Northeast and southern India. Regional: Common throughout the western Ghats from moist deciduous to evergreen forests of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, occasionally seen in the Eastern Ghats of Kolli hills also.

Trade information: Local and commercial. The resin and wood are traded under the name Raldhoop, Kungulium, Kungulepam, Karun Kungilium in Delhi and Madurai markets. Resin sold Rs. 50/kg in Delhi market in 1999.

Medicinal Uses: Decoction or powder of the resin is given orally as a remedy for rheumatism, cough, fever, epilepsy, asthma, syphilis, blood impurities, various poisons, hernia, chronic skin diseases and haemorrage. Also to improve complexion.

Distribution:Global: Indo-Malaya (southern India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and West Malaysia). National : Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Regional: In Karnataka, occurs in the dense semi-evergreen forests of Coorg, Uduppi, Dakshina and Uttara Kannada districts. In Kerala, found in semi-evergreen and evergreen forests of Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Wynaad, Idukki and Palakkad districts. In Tamil Nadu, occurs in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Nilgiri districts.

Description :
A large dioecious woody climber.Bark is thin, greyish and occassionally with irregular vertical fissures. The sap of the stem is watery and deep yellow. Young stems cylindrical with minute dense brown hairs. Leaves are alternately arranged, sub-pelt ate to peltate, broadly egg-shaped with acuminate apex, 15-28x10-24cm, hairless above, white shiny tomentose below, with prominent 5-7 nerves arising at the junction of leaf stalk; lead stalk 8-15cm long, conspiciously swollen at bothe ends. Flowers are stalkless, minute, yellow, about 2 mm long, many seen in clustered heads. The heads number. The fruits are said to be drupes, gobose, about 3 cm across, greenish brown turning yellow when ripe with dense, minute brown hairs. Seeds white.

Trade information:
Local, regional, nation and global. In southern India the stem/stem bark of coscinium fenestratum is the accepted source of Daruharidra. It is traded under the name mirmanjal. The northern India, Berberies chitria is the primary source of Daaruharidra.

Special characters: The leaves are sub-peltate to peltate with a striking white colour beneath. The cut stems show unique wheel-like medulary rays, deep yellow in colour. They diverge from center to the periphery. Flowers and fruits are always seen on the older stems.

Distribution: Endemic to western ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Regional: In Karnataka, ocassional in Coorg, Mysore, Shimoga, UttaraKannaga and Chikmagalur districts. Common throughout Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, less common in Coimbatore and Nilgiri districts.

Special characters: This is a giant tree with long undivided trunk and white bark smelling aromatic when cut fresh. The distinctly angled lead stalk and pear-shaped furrowed fruits are other distinct field characters.

Medicinal Uses: In sidha this plant is known as Agil and used as a substitute for Aquilaria malaccensis. The uses are similar to D.binectariferum. Wood is used to cure rheumatism; wood oil is used in treating ear and eye diseases.

Gymnema khandalense Family : Asclepiadaceae
Vernacular names
Not known

Threat status:
Endangered (B1 & 2a,b,d,e)- Globally

Habit: A large woody climber

Habitat: Deciduous to moist deciduous forests

Altitude: 500-600m

Distribution: Endemic to Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Kerala. Regional: The first recorded collection of this species is from Khandala Ghat, Maharashtra. Subsequently it has been recored in few other localities of Pune and Raighad districts. In Kerala, a single collection is reported from Vazhachal semi-evergreen forests in Thrissur district by Dr. N. Sasidharan. Not reported from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Distribution: Endemic to southern Western Ghats in tamil Nadu and Kerala. Regional: In Tamil Nadu, reported only in the hills of Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts. In Kerala, recorded in Nilambur, Sholayar, Kollam, Palakkad and Ponmudi hill ranges. Not recorded in Karnataka.

Distribution: Endemic to Western Ghats in Karnataka and Kerala. Regional: In Karnataka, occurs in evergreen forests of lower altitudes in Dakshina kannada, UttaraKannda, Shimoga and Udupi districts. In Kerala, fairly common in the evergreen forests of lower Ghats. Not reported from Tamil Nadu.

Trade information: Local and regional. A possible adulterant to Myristica fragrans. The mace of Myristica malabarica commercially known as Rampattari is often adulterated with the true Jaatipatri (Myristica fragrans). Kernels are sometimes mixed with those of M. fragrans, the true source of Jaaiphal.

Trade information : Local and regional. Roots priced at Rs.2.75/kg.(Kerala, 1993). It is traded under the name Shahacarah.

Special characters: Completely hairless plants, throat of the flower with distinct white hairs, curved spikes and distinctly jointed peduncles are important field characters.

Mode of propagation: By seeds and stem cuttings

Medicinal Uses : This plant is one of the accepted sources of Ayurvedic drug Sahacarah. Roots used in the treatment of neurological disorders such as paraplegia and sciatica. Also helps in healing ulcers, glandular swellings, poisonous affections, itching, leprosy, other skin diseases, cough, oedema, toothache, gum diseases and strengthening of the nerves.

Distribution : Endemic to Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Regional: In Karnataka, recorded in Hassan, Coorg, Udupi, Dakshina and Uttara Kannada districts. In Kerala, occurs occasionally in the forests of Nilambur and Thrissur. In Tamil Nadu, reported only from the riparian habitat in the forests of Kanniyakumari district.

Special characters: The branching pattern of this tree is unique in having almost horizontally drooping branches of one season more or less crowded at one place of the main trunk resembling Terminalia catappa. Flora heads resemble small tennis ball. It is a typical riparian vegetation tree.

Mode of propagation: By stem cuttings and air-layers

Medicinal Uses : Stem bark is reportedly used in the treatment of constipation, leprosy, rheumatism and ulcers. Root and root bark are employed to threat rheumatism and ulcers. Root and root bark are employed to treat rheumatic and paralytic affections, general anasarca, skin diseases, dropsy, eye diseases, constipation, piles, jaundice, fever, oedema and hepatic and haemophilic disorders (Ref: Red data book of Indian plants, Vol.3.p.222, 1990)

Distribution: Endemic to the Eastern Ghats of Cudappah, Nellore, Chittoor and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh. Also recorded in the adjoining regions of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Regional: In Karnataka, reported from Deverayandurga, Sandur and Karpakapallu MPCAs. In Tamil Nadu, reported from the drier zones of Chengalpattu, Salem and Dharmaputi districts. Wild status of these population needs verification. Commonly planted as monoculture and also as an ornament.

Medicinal Uses : One of the ingredients of Triphaladya ghrta, used to cure chornic fever. The heartwood is rubbed with water, honey, ghee and oil, applied as collyrium to alleviate defects of vision. Also used for treating skin diseases, bone fracture, leprosy, spider poisoning, scorpion sting, hiccough, ulcers, general debility and mental aberrations. Wood paste applied on boils and other skin eruptions, infections, inflammation and on forehead to relieve headache. Decoction of fruits is used to cure chronic dysentery; also used by Kani tribes to check dermatological conditions including psoriasis. Wood and bark brew taken orally relieves chronic dysentery, worms, blood vomiting, weak vision and hallucination. Wood powder is used to control haemorrhage, bleeding piles and inflammation.

Habitat : Along open forest edges of mosist deciduous to semi-evergreen

Altitude : 50-850 m

Distribution: Endemic to western ghats, Regional: Occasional along the marginal forests of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala states. In Karnataka, earlier record from evergreen forest in Kemmangundi hills and Uduppi regions. In Kerala, occasional in Nilambur and Thrissu forests. So far not recorded from Tamil Nadu.

Special characters: Plants are leafless when they are flowering. The solitary lead is very large, in turn highly dissected into many leaflets. The stalks of the lead and spadix are fleshy, cylindrical, speckled with green, brown and white patches. The tips of both spathe and spadix terminate in a long cylindrical tail.

Medicinal Uses : Tuberous corms are used to treat piles, tumours and cysts.

Distribution: Endemic to southern Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Regional: In Kerala, reported from the grassy slopes of Kursumalai near Boneccord estate, Thiruvananthapuram districts as well as in Kollam district. In Tamil Nadu, reported only from the exposed rocky slopes of Kaniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts. Not recorded in Karnataka.

Notes : It is a monotypic endemic genus with the species having narrow and restricted distribution. Recently the genus Janakia has been suggested to be merged with Decalepis (Kew Bulletein 1994) based on common characters between both. It resembles Ulteria Salicifolila (also a monotypic and endemic to southern Western Ghats) but differs in having long stalked, broadly egg-shaped-lanceolate leaves and sparsely branched shorter inflorescence.

Trade information: Local only

Mode of propagation: By seeds and stem cuttings

Special characters: This plants confined to rocky slopes at higher altitudes. Entire plant shows a pinkish shade. Tubers are fleshy, aromatic and leaves are shiny resembling those of the 'Peepul' tree (Ficus religiosa) 'Arayalpathra' in sanskrit means the leaves of Peepul. The cymes are always shorter than the lead stalks.